Those points were made by panelists last week in the second of a three-part lecture series at the Columbus Learning Center. The Jan. 25 installment of the series — which discusses Columbus’ past, present and future — focused on current-day Columbus.

Bartholomew County’s unemployment rate, which stood at 2.3 percent in December, was tied for fifth lowest in the state.

“Our unemployment rate is extremely low, which is a great thing,” said panelist Kathy Oren, executive director of the Community Education Coalition.

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Construction is underway on a 24,180-square-foot building at the northeast corner of Arnold Street and Ray Boll Boulevard that will provide more hangar space for pilots using the Columbus Municipal Airport. This rendering by the Woolpert architecture, engineering and geospatial firm shows how the finished project will look.

Public safety officials block of the intersection of Third and Washington streets due to a suspicious package found inside The Commons in downtown Columbus, Ind., Friday, March 31, 2017. The all clear was given after authorities discovered the suspicious package was a backpack that posed no threat. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Public safety officials respond to a report of a suspicious package found inside The Commons in downtown Columbus, Ind., Friday, March 31, 2017. The all clear was given after authorities discovered the suspicious package was a backpack that posed no threat. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Dr. Steven Combs, Chancellor of IVY Tech, opens the discussion and introduces the speakers during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Brian Payne, Airport Director at Columbus Municipal Airport, speaks about all the opportunities for students to learn about airplanes and flying during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Brian Payne, Airport Director at Columbus Municipal Airport, at right, speaks about all the Aerotropolis during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Jim Lienhoop, Mayor of the City of Columbus, speaks on several topics including how do we want to define ourselves, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Attendees smile as they listen during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Dr. Steven Combs, Chancellor of IVY Tech, in front, and other attendees listen during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Attendees applaud following the speech by Jim Lienhoop, Mayor of the City of Columbus, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

John Grace asks why we compare Columbus to Indiana, why are we not compared to outside areas, nationally and even internationally, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Jim Lienhoop, Mayor of the City of Columbus, answers a question, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Clarence White, Associate Professor of Ethics and Philosophy at IVY Tech, asks if there is a connection between the subset of hard to employ individuals and those with opiode problems, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

John McCormick asks if companies come first and attract people or do people attract the companies, during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

Display in the lobby during the Columbus Present discussion at Columbus Learning Center, Thursday, January 25, 2018. Carla Clark | For The Republic

College students work on assignments in the University Library inside the Columbus Learning Center in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

College students Fredi Morales, from left, Brenda Zuniga and Giselle Valencia work on a project together in the University Library inside the Columbus Learning Center in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Dylan Prather, a junior at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, works on schoolwork in the University Library inside the Columbus Learning Center in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Jose Cota, a junior at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, works on schoolwork in the University Library inside the Columbus Learning Center in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Pictured is the exterior of the Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus building in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Training opportunities are available close to home for Columbus residents through IUPUC, Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue Polytechnic Columbus, Harrison College and Trine University on the Columbus AirPark campus, offering various degree programs, Oren said.

More than two-third of Bartholomew County high school seniors go on to college within one year of graduation, she said.

Bartholomew County’s percentage of 68.7 exceeds the statewide average of 64.8 percent of high school students who enroll in college within a year of graduation, according to 2015 statistics, Oren said.

The Columbus Municipal Airport also plays an important role in the region, airport director Brian Payne said.

The state’s Airport of the Year in 2016 continues to see demand from pilots seeking hangar space.

“When I came here five years ago, we had six empty T-hangars,” Payne said. “Now we have 18 on the waiting list.”

Construction is underway on a 24,180-square-foot building at the northeast corner of Arnold Street and Ray Boll Boulevard that will provide more hangar space, he said.

Projects on the AirPark campus include a planned construction of a regional training facility for the Columbus Fire Department, while Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. has proposed building an outdoor soccer complex for Columbus North and Columbus East high school teams.

One business expansion on the Columbus AirPark campus is well underway. It’s a two-story office addition to Elwood Staffing’s corporate headquarters at 4111 Central Ave., Payne said.

“We have very stable employers and a very strong economy,” Mayor Jim Lienhoop said.

He also told the more than 40 people at the forum that the city’s low crime rate places it one-fourth lower than the national average.

“Columbus is a very safe place,” Lienhoop said.

However, he said the city continues to face a shortage of housing and high housing costs that need to be addressed.

“We’ve got a lot of apartment complexes who have come on board, but not enough to meet our needs,” Lienhoop said. “We’ve got to make things a little bit more affordable for people to live.”

Lienhoop said the opioid epidemic has become a pressing issue, with as many as 30 fatal overdoses last year linked to opioids. The possibility of opening an unused portion of the Bartholomew County Jail to help inmates seeking treatment is being explored, he said.

“We are very blessed as a community, but they are within our challenges to solve,” he said.

Meanwhile, Columbus continues its efforts to be a more welcoming community.

Among many groups working on diversity initiatives is Black Lives Matter of Columbus, represented on the panel by board members LaTosha Lafferty and Rick Scalf.

The organization works to inform the public about black history, hardships and issues, Lafferty said.

It is also advocating for reform on the police force, she said.

Black Lives Matter, formed in the summer of 2016, favors passage of a hate crime bill passed in Indiana, one of five states without one, Scalf said.

Audience member Stephanie Michael, a lifelong resident of the city, said Columbus at one time mostly consisted of farmland and small businesses. She thinks the city is on the right track as it continues moving forward.

“I think we’ve got a lot of good people in the right spots to make that happen,” Michael said.

Key points from discussion

Unemployment rate: Among the lowest in the state at 2.3 percent in December.